


Scenes from a Friendship

by awkwardsorta



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Boys Being Boys, M/M, new to the city, nothing really happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-07
Updated: 2013-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 19:36:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/752250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardsorta/pseuds/awkwardsorta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Bet you never did that with Mathieu though,” Cesar says, catching Eden looking. Eden doesn’t really care, but he makes a show of it. “I’m having a shower,” he says, “And then I’m leaving.”</p><p>Cesar just laughs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scenes from a Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> Alt-canon in which neither party are in a relationship, Cesar put as much effort into his French as he has his English and his year at Marseilles means he’s conversationally fluent, and they both live near the Thames.
> 
> See [this image](http://24.media.tumblr.com/a7b124c651efb007a1436a6ae7489cec/tumblr_mh1jyeAx4R1rnc3m0o1_500.png) for reference.

1.

"How do you speak better English than me?"

The first time they hook up, they have only been in England for a combined six weeks. Eden trains over the summer with Chelsea; Cesar arrives late, after the season has started. 

They end up in Eden's hotel room, and Cesar orders room service.

"Seriously, how?"

Eden is sprawled back across his bed, speaking French. He's watching Cesar loiter in the dividing door. 

"You actually paid attention in school or something?"

Cesar gives him a look. "Don't give me that shit," he says. "You're way cleverer than me." 

"What, just because I'm a better footballer?"

Cesar just laughs, louder than Eden's comment deserves, and goes from the doorway to two steps into the bedroom. Eden counts that as a come-on, and Cesar is still laughing a little when Eden stands up, walks across the bed and drops down to stand right in front of him. He's still smiling widely when Eden stands closer than a friend would, and his lips are still curved upwards when Eden kisses them. 

Their room service arrives when Eden has got Cesar spread out on the bed, his knees bent and Eden between them. 

"How do you say 'go away' in English?"

Cesar laughs, a little shaky. "If we ignore them," he says, "They'll leave it outside the room. What, you never done this hotel living before?"

Eden pushes up on one elbow and raises his eyebrows. Cesar grins, dropping his head back to the pillow. The room service knocks again, and Eden ignores them.

 

2.

“Am I really the best right back you've played with?”

“No, I just said that for the cameras.”

They’re in Cesar’s room. Eden’s found a place in London, but Cesar hasn’t. Someone else is still making his bed every day, still cleaning up after him, which makes Eden laugh when they’ve made a mess of the sheets, and, once, when they make a mess of the bathroom.

Cesar kicks his leg out to try to catch Eden but he’s too slow. Eden catches a hold of his ankle and doesn’t let go as he leans into the en-suite, snags some tissues from the dispenser and comes back to the bed.

He throws them on Cesar’s stomach and Cesar grins at him. 

“You want to beat Mathieu? Get some assists down you.”

“I have two,” Cesar protests. He watches himself as he cleans his skin and Eden does too.

“Bet you never did that with Mathieu though,” Cesar says, catching Eden looking. Eden doesn’t really care, but he makes a show of it. “I’m having a shower,” he says, “And then I’m leaving.”

Cesar just laughs.

 

3.

“I thought you’d be more of a dick,” Cesar says. They’re not in bed, they’ve ventured out of their respective houses (because Cesar has his own flat now) and made their way to the river. This part of the Thames is quiet during the day, the locals all at work in the City. The small park at the bend in the river is deserted save for the crazy man feeding the birds, and the two young guys from the continent who still don’t know what they’re doing.

Eden knocks his hand against Cesar’s thigh. “Thanks man,” he says. “Appreciate it.”

Cesar tips his head back to look at Eden. He has both his arms balanced out along the top of the bench where they are sitting, and one of them is resting against Eden’s shoulder.

Eden doesn’t look, but he thinks Cesar’s probably laughing at him again. They laugh at each other a lot, he thinks that’s why they’re friends. Probably why they’re - the other stuff, too.

“Well you know,” Cesar says. “The papers and the blogs and all that. And whenever I played against you, you were so good -”

Eden looks at him then. “I was what?” 

Cesar laughs and shakes his head. “No I’m not saying it twice - I just -”

“No sorry,” Eden sits up straighter and faces Cesar. “What was that?”

Cesar laughs harder. “I just meant - that usually people who are - you know - they’re pretty cocky. Pretty pleased with themselves.”

Eden knocks their knees together, because they’re in public. He knows his grin is smug, but he can’t help it.

“Thanks,” he says. “For recognising.”

Cesar kicks him then, and holds up his middle finger to Eden’s face. “I take it back,” he says. “You’re cocky as fuck.”

Eden just keeps their knees pressed together, and pretty soon they go back to his house.

**Author's Note:**

> Mathieu is Mathieu Debuchy who played rightback with Eden at Lille.


End file.
